Magazine for firearms



5 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 19, 1944. F A COQLEY MAGAZINE: FOR FIREARMS Filed April 13, 1942 DCC- 19, 1944 F. A. cooLEY MAGAZINE FOR FIREARMS Filed April 15, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 lmnenfor gf/oyddaa/y Dec. 19, 1944. F. A, cooLEY MAGAZINE FOR FIREARMS v Filed April 13, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Bnventor bo/5 www.

lL n .l

Dec. 19, 1944. F. A. cooLEY 2,365,392

MAGAZINE FOR FIREARMS Filed April 1s, 1942 5 sheets-sheet 4 XWIL nventor f7/aya 62. Coo/sy (Ittornegs Dec. 19, 1944.

F. A. cooLEY 2,365,392

MAGAZINE FOR FIREARMS Filed April 13, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 :Snventors S17/aya Q, (bo/y 25g i m- Gtornegs Patented Dec. 19, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MAGAZINE FOR FIREARMS Floyd A. Cooley, Detroit, Mich.,` assignor to Ternstedt Manufacturing Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application April 13, 1942, Serial No. 438,765

7 Claims. (Cl. 89--34) My invention relates to magazines for supplying cartridges to aut-omatically operating rapid fire guns designed particularly for use upon airplanes; and the object thereof is to provide a magazine having large cartridge holding capacity, due to the fact that the cartridges are arranged 'in several tiers one above another, and are combined into a single forwardly moving co1- umn as they approach the gun. The magazine herein disclosed is designed to be arranged lengthwise of a wing of an airplane and to supply cartridges to a gun arranged to re in the general direction of movement of the plane, although the gun may, of course, be stationary, as

when used on the ground for repelling attacks of enemy aircraft. The magazine herein is designed particularly to supply cartridges of mm. caliber, they being around six inches long, although it may be used to supply cartridges of other sizes to a gun.

With the above and other objects of invention in view my invention consists in the improved cartridge magazine for automatically operating rapid fire guns illustrated in the accompanying drawings and hereinafter described and claimed; and in such variations and modifications thereof, within the scope of the concluding claims, as will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which my invention relates.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification and wherein the preferred form of myfinvention is illustrated:

Figure 1 is a schematic View showing my invention in plan and illustrating the general features thereof.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view upon a larger scale than Figure 1", and showing the left hand end of the magazine in section and upon a vertical plane indicated by the line 2-2, Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows the magazine with its top cover plate removed. This View and Figure 2, and Fig- Figure 6 is a side view of the cartridge feeding mechanism. asseen from verticalplane indicated by the line S-6, Figure l, and upon a larger scale than they are shown in that iigure.

VFigures 7, 8 and 9 are views (fragmentary as regards and 9) showing sections upon transverse vertical planes indicated by the lines '1 -1. 8 8 and 9--9, Figure 6.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary sectional view showing certain cam throat features adjacent the left hand discharge end of the magazine, taken upon a vertical longitudinally extending plane indicated by the line lll-i0, Figure 1.

-Figure 11 is a View taken upon a transverse vertical plane indicated by the line Il-I l, Figure 1, looking toward the discharge end of the magazine, and showing certain features located within the cam throat shown in Figure 10 and involved in the feeding of cartridges therethrough and to the receiver of the gun.

Figure 12 is a plan View showing the magazine as straight instead of curved slightly, as in Figures 1 and 3.

Figures `13 and 14 are fragmentary sectional views upon transverse planes indicated by the lines |3-l3 of Figure 14, and III-I4, Figure 12 lookingas indicated by arrows at the ends of those lines.

In my improved magazine the cartridges are arranged in four separate rows or tiers within the right hand end thereof, and are forced toward the left hand end thereof by spring mechanism as will hereinafter appear; and as the cartridges pass through the cam throat as shownin Figure 2 the two uppermost rows and the two lowermost rows, are combined into two forwardly moving rows of cartridges; which last two are then merged into and become a single column froni which cartridges are fed separately to the receiver of the gun. This provides a magazine of large capacity and at the same time one of short length, the capacity of the one herein contemplated beingaround cartridges of 20 mm. caliber, around six inches long.

My improved magazine comprises an oblong box-like structure having oppositely disposed longitudinally extending cast metal side plates 20, 2|, one having four longitudinally extending internal grooves 22 within and along which the head ends of cartridges S move, and the other having similar grooves 23 within and along which the bullet ends move, as shown in Figure 3 and Figure 7, the side walls of which several grooves serve to keep the rows out of contact with one another and to keep the cartridges in line as the move forward toward the gun. i

The side plates are connected with one another by thin sheet metal top and bottom plates 24, which are fastened to the upper and lower ends of the side plates by screws as shown in Figure 1. The upper and lower edges of the side plates are parallel throughout the greater part of their length, but are inclined toward one another as they approach the left hand end of the magazine, see Figures-2, 4 and 10,- to providethe, cam throat portion thereof, hereinbefore mentioned, through which the cartridges pass to the receiver'of the gun; and whereby the four rows of cartridges in the right hand end of the magazine are combined rst into two rows, and these two rows in turn merged into a single advancing column from which individual cartridges are fed to thereceiver of the gun. The grooves 22, 23 run out at the beginning of the cam throat portionfaforesaid', that is, there are no such guiding grooves in that part of the magazine which functions tocombine the several layers or tiers into. a single forwardly moving column of cartridges.` l

Located within the left hand end or camthroat portion of thev magazine and extending across, and the ends of which enter recesses 26 and 21 formed in walls of the side plates 20, 2|and are held in place -by screws 28, is a cam member 29 the right hand end of which serves tov keep the cartridges of the two upper rows separate from those of the two lower rows as all four rows are force-d through the magazine, by spring mechanism as willhereinafter appear. Thereafter and as the whole mass of cartridges 'moves forward (still referring to Figure 2') those which comprise the two upper rows, and those which comprise the two lower rows, are combined and merged into asingle row of forwardly moving cartridges by upper and lower protuberances 30, 30 on the wall member 20-flocated within cam throatportion aforesaid and adjacent' to the side wall 2|) (and by similar protuberances 3|, 3| to be next referred to); from which single row, individual cartridges are fed to the receiver of the gun not shown. c

The left hand enol` of the side-wall 26 for a length corresponding, approximately, with the length of the cam throat portion ofv thel magazine, has a box-like portion 32 extending laterally to about the middle of the magazine, as shown in Figure 3, through which the headsand powder containingshell portions of the cartridges S pass on their way to the gun; and the numeral 33 designate-s a flange at the free end of this boxlike projection to which two cam platesli are secured as shown, portions of which cam plates extend inward and are shaped to provide theprotuberances (cams)` 3|, 3| -hereinbefore referred to; which last named protuberances and the protuberances 30, 30 guide the .cartridgesat their heads and vat the ends of their shells or powder containing cases as they pass to the receiver of the gun as will be understood.

The left hand end ofthe side plate 20|! or, more definitely stated, of the box-like lateralextension 32 thereofhand of the side plate 2|, areso shaped as. to embrace a conduit or trough 35 through which. cartridges are suppliedy to the gun andto `which trough they are secured-by screws as shown and through which trough themagazinemay Ibe fastened to the gun when itis inuse and Afrom which it may be detached when emptir 'and'the gun needs-a newrsupply of ammunition; thisv by any suitable latch mechanism whichlatchimechanism, however, i'snotydisclosed 'inld'etailas it forms no part of the invention to which this present application relates.

In the second form of my invention. illustrated in Figures 12 to 14 the magazine is straight, instead of curved slightly as in the preferred form hereinbefore described. The same form of cam throat features for combining four layers of cartridgesV into two, and for merging the-cartridges of f these two into a single forwardlymoving column is made use of as in theform herein- Vbefore described at length; and the same spring mechanism for moving all the cartridges toward t-he gun is used as the one used in the curved formwhich mechanism will be next described.

In the straightform o-f `magazine the grooves 22|' in thev side plate 20| along which the heads of the cartridges move have to be wider than the grooves 22 in the 'curved form hereinbefore described; because the powder containing chambers of cartridges S are made slightly tapering (so that they can be moved into and .extracted from the firing chamber of the gun) instead of cylindrical in form. This slightly tapering form resultsin that in a straight form of magazine the head ends of abutting cartridges have to be offset relative to one another along the length of the grooves Yalong which their heads m'ove, and the axes of abutting cartridges are oppositely inclined relative to the planes of the paths of movement of their head ends; this offsetting being permittedv by providing slightly Wider grooves the side walls of which serve asv stops to` reStrainlateral movement of the head ends,

as shown in Figures 13 and 14. In the preferred slightly curved form, however, see Figures 3 and 9, lateral movement of the head ends of the cartridges S is. prevented by the side walls of the narrower groovesl 22, and the axes of the cartridges are kept in parallel planes as they move along said grooves.

Movement of the cartridges through the magazine is producedby spring mechanism to be next described and it follows that unavoidable lateral movement of the head ends of the cartridges, inra `straight form:v of: magazine, results in considerablev friction between the heads and the sidefwalls ofthe .grooves22'l whereas in-a slightly curved form of magazine there islittle or no force tending to produce lateral movementl of the heads and consequent frictionbetween the heads-and` the side wallsj of the groovesV 22 .is eliminated or very materially reduced.

The` side plates ,20| and 21| the grooves 23| for. the bullet .ends-and the top-and bottomzplates 24| and 25| arev the same, functionally, as the parts 20, 2|, 23, 24 and 25, except that they are curved slightlylongitudinallyof the )magazine as will be understood. f

Acting upon each row .of cartridges isafollower 3`6` the ends of which enter the grooves 22, 23 and are guidedlbyr said-,grooves as they follow. the rows of cartridges'as they aremoved toward the gun; and'. the ends of these followers arev acted upon by springs.3"|, eight. in all, whichact to keep the followers in contact withr the initial right hand cartridge ofthe several rows of cartridges inthe magazine. These springs surround guide tubes 38, eight in all, which tubes are rigidly secured one adjacent the end of eachfollowerythe lpositions of 'these tubesfbeing. adjacent the inner Ven'ds of"l the grooves Vas shown, andthe springs andtubes being parallel with the grooves` andextending longitudinally of the magazine aswill be understood.

`The ngm-hanaf'ends pran'the springs "37 abut against oppositely disposed anges 39, 39 of a cup member 4l) which flanges also enter the grooves 22, 23 aforesaid so as to be guided by them; and `the tubes extend through holes in the flanges and have pins 4| for preventing them from becoming disengaged from said flanges.

The numeral 42 designates a coil spring which forces all of the rows of cartridges through the magazine and the cam throat portion thereof and to the gun, one end thereof abutting against the transverse end wall of cup member 40, and the other end being constrained by an annular seat 43 in a detachable cover 44, which serves as a closure for the right hand end of the magazine. This cover is held in place by readily removable pins 45 which, upon being removed, per- "mit'the' entire spring mechanism which forces the ments between the cup member 4l] and the followers 36 and thus to the several rows of cartridges) being to permit individual cartridges to move laterally as they approach the cam throat portion and move therethrough as hereinbefcre explained, and at the same time to keep always vin contact with one another as will be understood `from Figure 2.

The spring 42 is restrained against sidewise "movement by concentric tubes 46, 41, the first being welded to the end wall of the cup member 4G, and the second being flanged and held against 'the end of the magazine by the cover 44, as

shown in Figure 6. The tube 46 will ordinarily be straight in the straight form of magazine, but it is preferably curved with the same curvature as the magazine when the preferred curved type of magazine is made use of. This tube normally extends beyond the cover 44 when the magazine is full of cartridges at which time it and the cup member 4I] occupy positions in which they are shown in Figure 3, but both move into the magazine as cartridges are fired and finally assume positions near the cam throat portion of the magazine. At that time the magazine needs to be refilled, and it is unlatched and removed from the gun; the spring 42 is compressed by a tool Ihaving a cross pin at its end adapted to interlock with hooks 48 at the end of the tube 46, and held 'compressed by a pin inserted through one or another of oppositely located pairs of holes 49 in said tube, the pin bearing against the cover 44 as will be appreciated; the pins 45 are withdrawn; the entire spring mechanism is removed; and the magazine is relled with cartridges. Reversal of the steps just above enumerated results in a lled magazine ready to be attached to the gun as will be understood.

In view of the premises it will be appreciated ,that my invention provides a magazine for fire arms which is adapted to contain a large number of cartridges and one which is thin as the cartridges lie in four vertically disposed layers or rows, and a magazine which may be arranged within and along the wing structure of an airplane; and that the cam throat portion of the magazine acts, as shown in Figure 2, to combine the cartridges of the twouppermost layers or tiers and likewise those of the two lowermost layers or tiers rst into two forwardly moving rows, and these last two in turn into a single column as the cartridges as a whole move toward the receiver ofthe gun. The separate tiers or layers are pushed forward by independent springs acting one upon each row; and each separate cartridge acts in turn to block or arrest forward movement of all the rows until the forward one of all the cartridges is fed into the chamber of the gun. 'Ihe contour of the throat portion of the magazine through which the cartridges pass is such that jamming of the rows and interruption of the feeding action cannot occur when the gun is in operation.

Having thus described and explained my invention I claim and desire to secure by Letters Y said, and which cam member acts to divide the two upper rows from the two lower rows of cartridges as all of said rows enter said cam throat; oppositely located pairs of protuberances within said cam throat portion and acting to deflect the cartridges which form said two rows laterally, to thereby combine said two rows into a single column of cartridges as they move toward the receiver of the gun; and spring mechanism for forcing said several rows of cartridges along said groves and through said cam throat and to the receiver of a gun.

2. A cartridge magazine for guns comprising oppositely located side plates one having four grooves along which the head ends and the other having four grooves along which the bullet ends of rows of cartridges move, and a cam throat portion with which lall of said grooves communicate and through which cartridges pass to the receiver of the gun; a centrally located cam member within said cam throat portions and acting to divide the two upper from the two lower rows of cartridges as all of said rows enter said cam throat; a hollow box-like element extending along the cam throat portion aforesaid and inwardly from one of said side plates part way across the magazine, and the inner side of which box-like element is open and along and through which cartridges pass; a pair of protuberances within said box-like element and located adjacent the side wall from which it extends, and a second pair of protuberances supported by and located at the free open end of said box-like element, and which two pairs of protuberances act to deflect cartridges from said two rows laterally, to thereby combine said two rows into a single column of cartridges as they move toward the receiver of the gun; and spring mechanism for forcing said several rows of cartridges along said grooves and through said cam throat and to the receiver of agun.

3. A cartridge magazine for guns comprising oppositely located side plates one having a plurality of grooves along which the head ends and the other having a plurality of grooves along which the bullet ends of cartridges move, and a cam throat portion with which said several grooves .communicate andv throughfwhich car.'- tridges pass: to'the :receiver of thegun:; means associated withvsaid cam Vthroatgportion. for combiningthe cartridges ofsaidseveralrows into a single column of cartridges moving toward the receiver: aforesaid. `saidmeans including a hollow box-like elementr extending'falongthe. camv throat portion aforesaid and inwardly from. one `of said vsidef plates part way-across the magazine,y and theiinnerzsideof Which box-like-element is open and :along and through which cartridges pass; apair of protuberances within Said box-likeV element and located. adjacent the side wall from which it extends, and a secondipairofprotuberancessupported by` and locatedatv the free'open .endofl saidrbox-like element, and Twhichltwo :pairs of protuberances' act to deflect cartridges from said two .rowsy laterally, .to thereby.. combine said two'rows into a singlev column of cartridges as lthey jmove towardthe receiver of the gun; and

spring mechanism for forcing said several rows .'ofcartridges alongsaid grooves and'through said cam throatrand yto the receiver of afgun;

4". A- cartridge magazine for guns vcompris-ing `.oppositely located side plates one having, a plurality of grooves along which the head ends and the otherxhaving a plurality. of grooves along which the bullet ends. of cartridges move, and

a. cam throat portion withr which all of said grooves communicate and. through which cartridges pass to the receiver of agun; means associated with said cam throat portion for combin- .ing' the cartridges of said several rows into a single column moving toward. the receiver aforesaid.; a movable member within the magazine;

, a'` Spring acting upon saidmovable memberV to force said severalrows of cartridges through-the magazine; a 'fixed abutment against which said spring` acts; and a plurality Ohindependently yieldable spring devices associated one witheach vrow of cartridges and with said movable memcommunicate and through whichcartridges pass to'the receiver of a gun; means associatedwith said` cam throatportion for combining the car- -`tridges `of said several rows into a single column moving towardrthe receiverv aforesaid; a movable member withinthe magazine; a'removablel cover for the magazine; a spring one-endof which abuts against said cover and the other against said movable .membenand which spring acts to force Isaid several rows offcartridges kthroughthe magazine; aA pluralityof` followers acting one upon asesgsez each rowsV of@ cartridges. and: the. endsw of which yfollowers-enter intoand are vguidedfby the grooves aforesaid; and a plurality of springs acting between said movable. member and the ends of said followers ,and through which several springs pressure is transmitted to .said follower and.to said rows of cartridges.-

6. A cartridge mag-azine for guns comprisingV oppositely located side plates .onehaving a plu.- rality of grooves along which the vheadends and the other having a plurality of grooves along which the bullet. ends of cartridges move, and a cam. throat. portion with which all of ksaid grooves communicate and through which car.- tridges pass tothe receiver of a gun; means as.- sociated with said cam throat portion for com,- bining thecartridges of said r`severalrowsinto a singlecolumn moving toward the receiverv afore said; a-movable member Within themagazine Land having a plurality of laterally extending portions which enter. and are guided by-thegrooves aforesaid; a removable cover for the. magazine; a spring one end of which abuts against said cover and the other against saidk movable member,

and which spring acts to force said severalrows kmentioned spring.

' 7. A cartridge magazine for guns comprising oppositely located side plates one having means for guiding the head ends of a plurality of `rows of cartridges in parallel paths of movemenaand the other having means for guiding the bullet ends .of aplurality of Vrows of cartridgesin parallelpaths of movement, and a cam throat portionwith which all of' guiding `means communi'- cate and throughwhich. cartridges pass tothe receiver of aV gun; means .associatedwith said cam throat portion Vfor lcombining the cartridges of. said several rows into a single columnmoving toward the `receiver aforesaid; a movablemember within the magazine; a spring. acting upon said movable member to force said'several rows of cartridges through the magazine;,a fixed abutment against which said spring acts; anda plurality of independently yieldable spring devices ,associated one with` each row ofV catridges and with saidxnovable member, and through which spring. devices pressure is transmitted to said several rows. FLOYD A. COOEEY 

